According to Reuters: Euroclear, one of the world's largest securities settlement houses, has announced its first settlement of a digital note for the World Bank. The bond, which was issued on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange, successfully raised 100 million euros ($106 million) to fund sustainable development activities.
The Brussels-based settlement house reported that the event marked the introduction of its new digital securities issuance service. This service allows customers to issue, distribute, and settle fully digitalised international security using distributed ledger technology (DLT) or blockchain, the technology behind cryptocurrencies.
This development reflects the latest move in traditional market infrastructure such as settlement houses into the digital realm as regulatory bodies become increasingly accepting of such technology.
Euroclear's digital platform aligns with the European Union's rules for settlement systems and is connected to its core settlement system handling trillions of euros in securities worldwide.
"Euroclear Group's CEO, Lieve Mostrey, stated, ""Today’s launch marks an important moment for our clients and for the potential of digital assets.""
Citi bank's issuer services acted as the issuing and paying agent, TD Securities as the dealer, and Euroclear Bank as the issuer central securities depository.
Anshula Kant, Managing Director and Chief Financial Officer at the World Bank Group, expressed satisfaction at the World Bank's involvement in the new service, especially remembering their previous issuance of the world's first blockchain bond in August 2018.
The world of issuing and settling securities on the blockchain is still developing with various pilot programmes but no seamless market facilitating their connection yet. UK Finance reported that despite the growth in digital bond issuance in recent years, it accounted for less than 1% of the $20.6 trillion in long-term fixed income instruments issued in 2021.
